Have you heard these sayings before?
“Laughter is the best medicine.”
“Worry less, laugh more.”
When was the last time you laughed? Really belly laughed? Laughed so hard your face hurts? (This happens to me.) Or had tears in your eyes?
Laughter keeps coming up for me. I was on a networking Zoom call last week, and one of the fellow networkers was a Laughter Yoga instructor. I had never heard of Laughter Yoga before, so I googled it. It looks like a great tool.
The week prior, I was on another training call, and the trainer briefly mentioned laughing as a self-help tool. Laughter makes sense to me, and I am taking the hints. I decided I need to laugh more. Anyone else with me?
There is nothing wrong with laughter. Children do it all the time. So, why do adults hold themselves back? Why do we sometimes judge others if they are acting silly?
I often joke with my husband and say, ”Would you be embarrassed if I start dancing here in the aisle in Publix?” You can guess his answer is, “Yes,” and then, “Please don’t embarrass me.”
But what if we did? What if we all danced in the aisle at Publix or Winn-Dixie. Wouldn’t we all be happier? At least a little?
Just now, I am looking at possible photos to use for this article. All the pictures of people smiling made me smile. It’s contagious! In a positive way.
As Dolly Parton says, “If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours.” Why not?
Here are some tips to spread laughter and smiles:
- Call or zoom a friend who makes you laugh.
- Find some old movies that you remember made you laugh and rewatch them. “Bridesmaids” is one of my favorites and is often on TV. That’s a good one.
- Spend quality time with your children or a friend/family member’s children. Safely, of course. Appreciate their carefree and fun natures.
- Watch old “Saturday Night Live” videos on YouTube.
- Dance or sing loudly and then laugh at yourself. The key here is you aren’t taking yourself seriously. Let loose, be silly, and have fun.
I see laughter as a possibility. A possibility to brighten my day or someone else’s day. A way to change my mindset. A way to reframe some negative energy that may have come my way.
Nothing is perfect, nor will it ever be. But if we can laugh at something, or even ourselves, and our outlook changes, it’s worth doing.
I put it on my to-do list. Did you?
